Rashtrapati
Bhavan, home to
the President of
the world’s
largest
democracy,
epitomizes
India’s
strength, its
democratic
traditions and
secular
character.
Rashtrapati
Bhavan was the
creation of
architects of
exceptional
imagination and
masterfulness,
Sir Edwin
Lutyens and
Herbert Baker.
It was Sir
Lutyens who
conceptualized
the H shaped
building,
covering an area
of 5 acres on a
330 acre estate.
This mansion has
a total of 340
rooms spread
over four
floors, 2.5
kilometres of
corridors and
190 acres of
garden area.
Painstaking
efforts of
thousands of
labourers
including
masons,
carpenters,
artists,
carvers, and
cutters saw the
completion of
this masterwork
in the year
1929. Originally
built as the
residence for
the Viceroy of
India, Viceroy's
House as it was
then called, has
metamorphosed
into today’s
Rashtrapati
Bhavan. From
being a symbol
of imperial
domination and
power, it is
today emblematic
of Indian
democracy and
its secular,
plural and
inclusive
traditions.
Former President
of India, Shri
R. Venkataraman
has rightly
said, “Nature
and man, rock
and
architecture,
have rarely
collaborated to
so fine a
purpose as in
the fashioning
of the
magnificent
Rashtrapati
Bhavan.” When
constructed, it
was called the
Viceroy’s House.
The name changed
to Government
House on August
15, 1947 when
India became
independent.
Finally, its
name was changed
to Rashtrapati
Bhavan during
the term of
President Dr.
Rajendra Prasad.
The Rashtrapati
Bhavan has
served as a home
to Viceroy Lord
Irwin and
subsequently to
other Viceroys
of India till
Lord
Mountbatten, the
last British
Viceroy and the
first
Governor-General
of independent
India in 1947.
Lord Mountbatten
administered the
oath of Prime
Minister to
Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru
under the
Central Dome of
Rashtrapati
Bhavan in 1947.
C.
Rajagopalachari,
the first Indian
Governor-General
also took oath
under the
Central Dome on
June 21, 1948
and became the
first Indian to
reside at the
Government
House, as it was
then called. The
grandeur of this
majestic
presidential
palace, however,
was humbled by
the very modest
gestures of
Rajagopalachari.
Finding the
Viceroy’s room
too royal to
stay, he shifted
to smaller rooms
(now called the
Family Wing of
the Rashtrapati
Bhavan) for his
personal use.
This has been
followed by all
subsequent
residents of the
Bhavan. The
erstwhile
Viceroy’s Rooms
have been
converted into
the Guest Wing
for stay of
Heads of State
and Government
and their
delegations. As
the first
president of
India, Dr.
Rajendra Prasad
took Rashtrapati
Bhavan as his
abode in the
year 1950 after
assuming office.
Little known is
the fact that
Mahatma Gandhi,
much before the
political heads
of independent
India, was an
early visitor to
the newly
constructed
Viceroy’s House.
The Viceroy had
invited him for
a meeting which
was met with
dissent by
Winston
Churchill.
Nevertheless,
Mahatma Gandhi
carried with him
salt to add to
his tea as a
mark of protest
against the
British Salt
tax. The series
of meetings
between Mahatma
Gandhi and Lord
Irwin finally
culminated in
the famous
Gandhi Irwin
pact that was
signed on March
5, 1931.
Rashtrapati
Bhavan has since
independence
hosted defence
investiture
ceremonies,
swearing in of
its leaders,
honoured its
bravehearts and
achievers, has
heard the
speeches of
world leaders,
signed pacts and
treaties with
various
countries,
celebrated
India’s
Independence and
Republic Day
functions along
with other
festivals. The
gates of
Lutyens’
masterpiece
Delhi which he
described as
“one complete
organism,
perfect and
inseparable”
have now been
opened for the
public on the
initiative of
Former President
of India, Shri
Pranab Mukherjee
since August,
2012. The
journey through
this work of art
is divided into
three circuits.
Circuit 1 covers
the Main
Building and
Central Lawn of
Rashtrapati
Bhavan including
its premier
rooms like the
Ashok Hall,
Durbar Hall,
Banquet Hall,
its Drawing
Rooms and many
more. Circuit 2
consists of the
tour of the
Rashtrapati
Bhavan Museum
Complex, while
Circuit 3
promises the
tour of
Rashtrapati
Bhavan’s famous
gardens- The
Mughal Garden